Chryed Sunshine
by Mushroom Hair
Summary: On a cloudy day.


**_Little and quick again, sorry! This is for WFCTGIO and Chryedians everywhere, with my love. :) xx_**

* * *

Syed tightened the red towel around his waist and blew at a tendril of wet hair that dripped a tear like trickle of water down his cheek. Gloomily, he pushed up one of the wooden slats on the blind and gazed out across the sunny square, deep in thought.

"Syeeeed! What ya doin'?"

He started at Christian's cheery bellow, turning as he bowled out of the bathroom, stark naked and quickly tried to adjust his features into a semblance of cheer.

"Hey."

"Are you looking at the glorious day? We should be out there. I blame you for making me stay in bed, you demanding minx. We should do something…" Singing at the top of his voice, Christian disappeared into the bedroom and Syed sagged despondently. The prospect of a day out had never seems so appealing, a chance to get away from everything, a delightful tempting impossibility. He pressed the palm of his hand against his temple, wishing the gesture could release the solid mass of tension that pounded inside. He pulled his hand away quickly as Christian re-entered, zipping up his jeans, but Christian caught the movement and frowned.

"What's up babe? Headache? You've not been brawling in pubs again, have you? Ha! I'd have loved to see Derek's face when you iced him. Are you sure he didn't hurt you?"

Syed laughed.

"What would you do if he had? Go and give him a push and tell him he's naughty? I'm fine. Lot on my mind, that's all."

"Cheek. I can be very butch when I want to be. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful head. Problem shared and all that." Concerned, Christian smoothed back Syed's damp hair, intently studying his eyes, trying to deduce what troubles and woes might be churning around in his brain.

"Nothing."

"Ah! Nothing! The good old nothing that makes you look like you've just squashed a kitten. Is it the Toilet Duck empire?"

"Don't belittle me, Christian." Syed snapped huffily struggling half-heartedly to resist the soothing reassurance of Christian's strong arms as he scooped him into a hug.

"Sorry! Cif supreme overlord. Sorry! Leave all the worrying for a bit, Sy. I've got the day off, the weather's hot and so are we. Let me take you out. It'll be fun!"

The corner of Syed's mouth twitched and he hollowly intoned,

"Fun. What is this fun you speak of?"

"It's what people have when they stop being moany old Quentins…" Christian gave Syed's buttock a firm slap and chivvied,

"Come on! We can't stay mouldering indoors while you go cross eyed at the laptop. Put your clothes on….Now that's something I rarely say to you. See? Today is full of surprises! I'm going to the Minute Mart to buy us a picnic."

* * *

"Yum." Christian licked his lips and threw a strawberry stalk into the plastic punnet. Turning on to his side, he propped himself up by his elbow and prodded Syed gently in the stomach. "This is the life, eh Sy?"

"It's the park in Walford, Christian, not a luxury yacht on the Riviera."

"Oh. Our own little secret part of the park, though and I thought we could save the Riviera for the honeymoon… Honestly, face on you. I give up."

"No, don't!" Distraught that Christian had turned away and flopped to lie on his back, Syed tore off a thin blade of scrubby grass and tickled his nose with it, making him sneeze.

"Yahdeekum Allah… It's money, Christian. Money and responsibilities and life."

Opening one eye, Christian squinted at him and calmly commented,

"Well, the strawberries were dirt cheap from Ian's stall, we have no responsibilities today, Yas is with her mum..." He raised his arm, sweeping it in arc, indicating the cloudless blue sky. "…And this, you and me and sunshine, is the life." He smiled contentedly, shifting to peel off his top and take the maximum benefit from the noon heat, basking like a lion on a rock. "Why couldn't we have had this weather all summer? Still. Better late than never."

Syed studied his tanned body, the sweat beginning to bead at his throat. Absently, he touched a drop and licked the moisture from his finger, tasting the salt.

"You're very, very fit. Did you know?" He said, finding a blessing to count.

"Am I? Funny, I never ever go to the gym… You're not so shabby yourself. Look!"

High above them, a hot air balloon drifted slowly, majestic and unworldly in its languorous flight.

"Beautiful!" Syed stretched out beside Christian, loving the automatic way he lifted his arm and put it around his shoulder. Laying his head on Christian's chest, he grinned and warned,

"We'll get ants in our pants."

Lazily, Christian batted away a fly.

"It's the wasps I worry about."

"Haa! You can do your funky scared backwards dance if one comes near… Don't worry. I'll save you."

Christian pulled him nearer, tracing his top lip with his thumb.

"Yeah. You will. It's going to be okay Sy. Whatever they throw at us. You and me, together. It won't always be a forgotten corner of the East End; the whole world is out there waiting for us."

"Is it?"

Sleepily, Christian nodded and kissed him, drawing away to say,

"After all we've been through? We bloody deserve it. Happy ever after. Now stop fretting and feed me strawberries."

A serenity filled Syed, draining away all cares and woes, leaving him in the moment, a precious fragment of time to hold and keep in his heart, to take out and examine in darker days, like a shiny new coin. He watched the progress of the balloon, imagining them both in the basket, looking down over sweeping plains in a far off country and smiled a true smile of happiness.

"Feed yourself strawberries, you big oaf."

"Charming! You're so mean, Syed Masood. Still love you though…" Christian yawned, drifting off to sleep and Syed stealthily reached to grab a strawberry. Taking it between his teeth, he placed his mouth against Christian's and as they both bit into the sweet pulp, he murmured,

"I love you too. Forever."


End file.
